Crocodile Conservation Project, Saltwater Crocodile

Launch & Collaboration (1975):

• India launched the Crocodile Conservation Project in 1975 at Odisha’s Bhitarkanika National Park with UNDP and FAO support. 

• At that time, crocodile numbers were critically low. Renowned herpetologist H.R. Bustard guided the establishment of incubation and rearing centers for crocodiles across multiple states. 

• Odisha set up centers at Dangamal, Bhitarkanika (for saltwater species ) and Tikarpada, Satkosia (for gharials), soon followed by centers in Uttar Pradesh (e.g. Kukrail, Lucknow and Katerniaghat Sanctuary in Bahraich). 

• These facilities collected eggs from the wild, hatched and reared juveniles, then released them to bolster wild populations.

All Three Species Covered: 

• The project encompassed conservation of all three Indian crocodilian species – the Gharial (Gavialis gangeticus), Mugger or Marsh Crocodile (Crocodylus palustris), and Saltwater (Estuarine) Crocodile (Crocodylus porosus).

• This multi-species approach made it a flagship example of species recovery in India. Notably, Odisha is the only state with wild populations of all three species

Population Recovery: Over 50 years, crocodile populations have rebounded significantly for two species. 

• The mugger crocodile – once severely depleted – now numbers an estimated 8,000–10,000 in India, reclaiming most of its historic range in the Ganga River basin (northern and central India).

•  The saltwater crocodile has also recovered to around 2,500 individuals, primarily in Bhitarkanika (Odisha), the Andaman & Nicobar Islands, and the Sundarbans (West Bengal). 

• In Odisha’s Bhitarkanika alone, the count rose from just 96 in 1975 to over 1,800 today. 

• In West Bengal, the Bhagabatpur Crocodile Rearing Centre (established 1976) bred and released 577 saltwater crocs over four decades to repopulate the Sundarbans. 

• Gharials, too, were bred and reintroduced in several river sanctuaries (Chambal, Girwa, Gandak, etc.), lifting their global wild population to ~3,000 (India now hosts 80% of them).

Habitat Protection: The project led to creation and better management of crocodile habitats. 

• Bhitarkanika Sanctuary (672 km²) was set up in 1975 around the project site and later declared a National Park (145 km²) in 1998. 

• It is now a Ramsar Wetland and India’s second-largest mangrove ecosystem after the Sundarbans. 

For a state-wise overview of India’s wetlands and Ramsar sites – including Bhitarkanika and Sundarbans

• Similarly, National Chambal Sanctuary 

  • covering Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh was established for gharials and river dolphins. 

  • Protected areas like Satkosia Gorge in Mahanadi River (Odisha) were also notified, providing secure breeding grounds.

• Community Involvement & Awareness: 

  • Local communities were involved in conservation programs (e.g. nest protection watches, regulated fishing zones) to reduce poaching and egg collection. 

  • World Crocodile Day (June 17) was adopted as an occasion to raise awareness about crocodiles’ ecological role.